At present, hunters in the Peace Region can kill three wolves each year. The province is proposing to remove that restriction and allow year-round hunting. B.C.’s Ministry of Forestry, Lands and Natural Resource Operations wants to remove limits how many wolves hunters can kill in the Peace Region and when.

The changes were proposed on Nov. 30 on a ministry website that accepts public feedback on changes to regulations. The proposed changes would also remove the time limits on the hunting season…

Changes proposed for grizzly limits as well

The ministry is also proposing to triple the number of grizzly bears that can be killed in part of the Peace Region called MU 7-52, from 50 to 150…

Professor and activist questions rationale

Under the “rationale” section of the bear hunting proposal, the ministry notes it based its proposal on population estimates. Science director for Raincoast Conservation Foundation and University of Victoria professor Chris Darimont said that set off alarm bells for him.

He said population estimates are just “best guesses,” and that there are a lot of unknowns about grizzlies, their population rates, how fast they reproduce and what kills them…